Riddles in the Palm

Maya's palms were sweating — like, actually sweating — through her favorite thrifted hoodie as she stood in front of The Sphinx, that weird stone statue in front of school where the seniors hung out. She'd been crushing on sophomore Kai all semester, and today she was finally gonna shoot her shot.

"Yo, you good?" asked her bestie Jaz, side-eyeing her. "You look like you're about to throw up."

"I'm fine," Maya lied, instantly regretting it. "Just... vibing."

Meanwhile, Kai's cat — this calico that apparently followed him everywhere sometimes (weird flex, but okay) — was rubbing against his legs like it owned the place. Kai laughed, scratching behind its ears, and Maya felt that thing happen where your stomach does a little flip.

She took a breath and walked over. The Sphinx statue's granite face seemed to mock her.

"Hey," she said. Casual. Chill. Not overthinking it at all.

"What's up?" Kai smiled, and the universe did not explode.

They talked about nothing for like three minutes — the upcoming dance, how Mr. Harrison's chem test was gonna mid-y everyone — and it was actually... fine? Normal? Maybe even good?

Then his phone buzzed. "Shoot, I gotta bounce. My mom's tripping about curfew."

"Oh, for sure," Maya said. "See ya."

She walked back to Jaz, feeling weirdly light. Like, she'd done it. She'd talked to him. The world hadn't ended.

"Well?" Jaz demanded. "How'd it go?"

Maya looked at her sweaty palms and laughed. "I think... I think I'm gonna be okay."

The Sphinx's stone smile seemed less mocking now. Maybe it wasn't a riddle after all. Maybe the answer had been there all along, right in the palm of her hand.